It has been estimated that nearly one third of Americans are sleep deprived. Sleep is primarily a restorative process that influences the homeostatic regulation of the autonomic, neuroendocrine and immune systems of the human body. The quantity and quality of a person's sleep are both important factors in maintaining good health. Without proper sleep, people are more susceptible to illnesses, have a lower frustration tolerance and may tend to overreact when stresses occur in their lives, and have diminished capacities to concentrate, remember, learn and complete tasks. Thousands die each year in automobile accidents resulting when someone falls asleep at the wheel. There is even evidence that without proper sleep aspects of the aging process are accelerated and may shorten life span.
In order to achieve quality sleep, a person needs to make himself or herself as comfortable as possible. Accordingly, a comfortable mattress is an important factor in achieving quality sleep. Temperature is an additional important factor in achieving quality sleep. If the ambient air temperature is too warm, a person may have difficulty falling asleep and may be restless once he or she has fallen asleep. If the ambient air temperature is too cold, a person may dress warmly for bed and using multiple blankets. One common experience is that an amount of insulation that initially felt comfortably warm suddenly becomes unbearably hot. When this happens, physical effort to remove layers of insulation may be required again achieve a comfortable balance. Another common experience is the unconscious act of kick off blankets while sleeping and then waking up feeling cold.
An additional challenge to achieving a comfortable temperature for sleep is that fact that two people often sleep in the same room and on the same mattress. The ambient air temperature that is comfortable for one person may be too hot or too cold for that person's companion. A system providing a comfortable sleeping environment for two occupants of the mattress would be desirable. A system allowing a person occupying the port side of the bed to select a first temperature and, at the same time, allowing a person occupying the starboard side of the bed to select a second temperature different from the first temperature would also be desirable.